Microsoft Return of Arcade is the second in the Microsoft Arcade series of arcade compilations. Return of Arcade includes faithful reproductions of Dig-Dug, Galaxian, Pac-Man, and Pole Position. Each game has been recreated with original code; the games are not ported from the original arcade versions, and are not the original arcade games running in an emulator. A later re-release called Microsoft Return of Arcade: Anniversary Edition adds a fifth game: the version of Ms. Pac-Man from Microsoft Revenge of Arcade. The demo only allows Pac-Man to be played until the cutscene after Level 2.

While Microsoft claims that Return of Arcade is only for Windows 95 and later on both their website and in the documentation included in the demo, the installer fails on 64-bit operating systems with the notice "This Setup program is not intended to be used with your version of Windows." Once the game is successfully installed on a 32-bit operating system (such as Windows XP Mode) it becomes clear why: pacdemo.exe is a 16-bit program and will not run on 64-bit Windows. The Return of Arcade Demo requires only the WinG API to run in Windows 3.1; it does not require Win32s. (If the WinG test screen fails, the option to continue without WinG is presented, but gameplay is incredibly slow.)

Graphics

Downloads

Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version (2,220,544 bytes)

3 May 1996

Win16

Help running Win16 games

Availability

Microsoft no longer sells this game.